Thai Senate Approves FY2027 Budget, PM Pledges Transparent Spending

The Thai Senate has approved the budget bill for the 2027 fiscal year, with a total expenditure of 3.78 trillion baht, by a vote of 145 in favor, 5 against, and 12 abstentions. Following the approval, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who was abroad on official duties, conveyed his gratitude to the senators via video message. The Prime Minister expressed regret for his absence during the deliberation but emphasized that the budget is a crucial tool for driving the nation's policies, national strategies, and development plans. He pledged to take seriously the recommendations and concerns raised by the senators and to ensure transparency and efficiency in the spending of the allocated funds, aiming to maximize benefits for the public. During the budget deliberations, Mr. Phadorn Prathetanantakul, Minister attached to the Prime Minister's Office, explained the government's focus on reducing the fiscal deficit, targeting a deficit of just over 600 billion baht for the 2027 fiscal year. He also highlighted the necessity of civil service reform, indicating a plan to freeze new personnel appointments for the next two years. This measure is intended to control the continuously rising recurrent expenditures, including salaries, pensions, and social security obligations, to ensure sustainable fiscal management. Regarding budget allocation to various ministries, it was clarified that the distribution will be based not only on past performance but also on alignment with policy objectives and the efficiency of budget execution. Furthermore, the increased budget for the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society was explained as being for the vital government project of establishing a centralized cloud system, rather than being a case of special treatment. This cloud system aims to consolidate information from all ministries, thereby improving IT infrastructure efficiency and reducing costs. Source: INN News